1. Technical Field
Embodiments of this disclosure relate to an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming apparatuses are used as printers, facsimile machines, copiers, plotters, or multi-functional devices having at least one of the foregoing capabilities. As one type of image forming apparatus employing a liquid-ejection recording method, inkjet recording apparatuses are known that use a recording head (liquid ejection head or liquid-droplet ejection head) for ejecting droplets of ink or other liquid.
In such a liquid-ejection-type image forming apparatus, a discharged sheet may curl due to drying of liquid. When the discharged sheet curls on a discharge tray, the curled sheet conflict a subsequent sheet, thus reducing stacking performance.
Hence, for example, JP-2012-140245-A proposes an output tray to receive a leading end side and a trailing end side of a discharged sheet with different surfaces. The sheet is discharged with the leading end side tilted, and the trailing end side is pressed against the corresponding surface of the output tray by its weight. As a result, the sheet is bent to suppress curling of the trailing end side of the sheet, thus enhancing stacking performance.
Even in such a configuration, depending on the type of ink used for image formation, printing speed (print per minute: PPM), or print coverage (image area per sheet), curling of a sheet may not be suppressed, thus hampering enhancement of stacking performance.